Noble rues West Ham's close shave at Hull

West Ham captain Mark Noble reflected on what might have been after an entertaining 2-2 draw with West Ham at the KC Stadium.

Published

15 September 2014

Sam Allardyce's side twice came from behind, initially in magnificent fashion as Enner Valencia marked his full debut by thumping home a 25-yard screamer to cancel out Abel Hernandez's 39th-minute header on his first Premier League appearance.

Former West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame got the better of the club he left on deadline day by restoring Hull's advantage before Diafra Sakho - also making a maiden start for the London side - drilled across goal, saw his strike evade goalkeeper Allan McGregor and roll over the line via home captain Curtis Davies.

Valencia almost stole the points deep into stoppage time as his header was diverted onto the crossbar by Davies' centre-back partner Michael Dawson, while Sakho saw McGregor make a brilliant reaction stop when the game was goalless.

"Obviously we're happy to come away from home [and get a result]," Noble told Sky Sports. "We knew how hard it is to come here, the form they were in last year and their start this year as well.

"But when you hit the crossbar in the last minute and their keeper made an unbelievable save - I'm not sure he knew too much about it but it was a wonderful save.

"For the neutrals it was probably a good game to watch and to come back from a goal down twice was brilliant for us.

"Hopefully we can carry that for on into the other games. We've got Man U and Liverpool coming up and it's not going to be easy."

Noble took heart from all-action displays by Valencia and Sakho and called on the new recruits to maintain their form as the season progresses.

"We see Enner do that in training all the time," he explained. "He's got no backlift and pure power. I don't know how fast it went but I didn't even see it go in to be honest.

"That's what he brings for us and I thought him and Sakho up front today worked their socks off.

"I'm over the moon that they both got a goal - I don't know if it's credited to Sakho but I hope it is.

"If they can carry that on into the games coming and show that kind of form then they seem like a good couple of buys."